Safety device for cable roads



(No Model.)

L. GODDU.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR GABLE ROADS.

No. 349,344. Patented Sept. 21, 1886.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS GODDU, OF \VINOHESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIG-NOR TO THE GODDU IMPROVEMENT COMPANY OF MAINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 349,344, dated September 21, 1886,

Application filed March 1, 1886. Serial No. 193,552. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, LoUIs GoDDU, of Winehester, county of Middlesex, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Safety Devices 'for Cable Roads, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to cable railways, and has for its object to provide the same with a safety stopping device to be used in conjunction with or without the means now commonly employed to stop the motion of the car, and is especially adapted to be used on that part of the road where the travel of teams and other similar vehicles-does not occur and on heavy grades.

My invention consists of one or more cables supported above and distributed as desired in the direction of the length of the road-bed, combined with one or more sheaves supported below the car and adapted to pass under said cable, and with a gripping device to clamp the cable, to thereby stop the motion of the car.

My invention also consists of one or more cables supported above and distributed as desired in the direction of the length of the roadbed, combined with one or more sheaves supported below the car and adapted to pass under said cable, and with a gripping device to clamp the cable to said sheave, to thereby stop the motion of the car.

Cable railways as now constructed are wanting in additional means to insure the stopping of the car, if for any reason the usual brake or gripping device should become inoperative.

Figure 1 shows in elevation a car and asufficient portion of a railway to enable my invention to be understood; Fig. 2, a plan view of Fig. 1, with the car removed, and with the support for the sheaves in section; Fig. 3, an enlarged detail of the gripping mechanism; and Fig. 4, a section on line 00 m, Fig. 3, looking down.

In order that my invention may be clearly understood, I have shown in Fig. 1 a car, A, of any ordinary construction, and such as commonly used on cable roads, provided with an arm, a, attached to the bottom of said car by bolts a, the said car being adapted to be moved, in the usual manner, by a cable carried below the road-bed B, and not herein shown, the said car also having the usual gripping device used in connection with the cable located below the roadbed, and by which to place the car in motion, said gripping device not being herein shown, as it forms no part of the ,present i11- vention.

In accordance with my invention I purpose to secure by spikes b, or otherwise, at suitable intervals along the road-bed B, and especially on ascending and descending grades, preferably metal plates b, each of which is provided with a bent arm, I)", and I further purpose to secure to each of said bent arms one end of a cable, 0, there being a cable extended between. every pair of plates, as shown in the drawings. The bent arm I) of each plate is of the requisite height to permit a sheave or roller, (Z, carried by the arm a, attached to the bottom of the car, to pass beneath it, and to engage the cable 0 when said car is moved past said bent arms, said cable resting upon the said sheave or roller (1, as shown in Fig. 1.

If for any reason-such as the slipping on the cable of the usual apparatus or gripping devices for moving the carit is desired to stop the car, the engineer operates a gripping device from within the car to grip the cable 0. The gripping device herein shown is composed of a fixed jaw, 6 and a movable jaw, 6 The jaw e" is herein shown as cast integral with the supporting-arm a,and is provided with a slot, e, in which is located a sheave or roller, d, having for its axis the pin (1. The movable jaw has a stud or bolt, 6", which is extended throughaslot, c inthe arm a, said bolt being adapted to slide in the slot e and being provided with a nut, e, to keep the jaw e in place. The jaw c has an ear, to which is secured one end of a link, f, the other end of said link being pivoted, as at f, to an arm, f, of an elbow or hand lever pivoted at f, the long arm f of said leverextending up into the interior of the car,and being provided with a handle, f. The arm a is of such length as to permit the jaw e to pass under the bent arms I) as the car is. moved in usual manner past said arms. As the jaw e is moved past the bent arms 6 it also engages the cable 0, which rides upon and over said jaw and roller d, carried thereby, as shown in Fig. 1.

IVhen it is desired to stop the car in ease of an accident, or for other like cause, the engineer or driver in the ear pushes the arm f from its dotted-line position in Fig. 3 in the direction of arrow 2, and as the arm f is moved from its dotted-line position in the direction of arrow 2 the upper jaw, c, is moved down until it grips the cable 0 between it and the lower jaw. The upper jaw is concavcd near its center to receive the roller or sheave (l, and the cable 0 is gripped between the said upper and lower jaw amt between the upper jaw and the roller 7.

To enable the jaws to more securely bite or grip the cable, I have herein shown the said jaws, and also the roller or sheave,as provided with corrugations,which correspond to and fit the strands of the cable.

In Fig. 2 I have shown a series of blocks/1, distributed at intervals along the road-bed between the bent arm 2), upon which it is designed the cable a should rest; but, if desired, said blocks may be omitted, and the cable rest directly upon the road-bedf I have herein shown one form 01' gripping device or jaw by which to clutch the cable; but it is evident that other usual l'ormsol' gripping devices orjaws might be used in combination with the cable 0.

I do not desire to limit myself to the use of acablcjust such asshown, as it isevident other equivalent means supported above the road bed may be employed.

I claim- 1. In a cable railway, one or more fixed or stationary cables support ed above and dis tributed as desired in the direction ol'thelength ot' the road-bed, combined with one or more sheaves supported below the ear and adapted to pass nmler said cable, and with a gripping device to clamp the cable, to thereby stop the motion of the car. substantially as described.

2. In a cable railway, one or more fixed or stationary cables supported above and dis tributedas desired in the direct ion ol't'he length of the road bed, combined with one or more sheaves, and with a gripping device adapted to tributed asdesired in the direction ot'thelength of the road-bed, combined with one or more sheaves supported below the car and adapted to pass under said cable. and with a gripping device to clamp the cable to said sheave, to thereby stop the motion of the car, substan tially as described.

4. A fixed or stationary cable and means, substantially as described, to support the same above the road-bed, combined with agripping device supported by and operating l'rom the car, substantially as and tor the purpose specitied.

5. A fixed or stationary cable and means, substantially as described, to support thesame above the road-bed, combined with agripping device consisting of a lower jaw adapted to pass beneath the said cable, asheave or roller rotating in a slot or o 'leningin said lowerjaw, and an upper jaw adapted to be moved from the car to grip the cable between it and the lowerjaw. substantially as described.

6. A fixed or stationary cable and means. substantially as ('leseribed. to support the same above the roadbed. combined with a gripping device consisting of a lowerjaw provided with corrugations or teeth and adapted to pass beneath the said cable. a sheave rotating in a. slot. or opening in said lower jaw, and an upper jaw provided with corrugations or teeth, and

adapted to be moved t'rom the car to grip the cable, as and tor the purpose specilied.

In testimony whereof I havesigned my name to this specification in the presence of two sub scribing witnesses.

LOUIS HODDU.

\Yit nesses:

B. .I'. Noyes, (l. M. Conn. 

